Jat stir: Situation remains tense in Haryana

PTI | Chandigarh
|
February 21, 2016

Army during a flag march in Rohtak city which is under curfew after protests by Jat community, who are demanding reservation in government jobs and education, on Saturday | PTI

Situation on Sunday continued to remain tense in several parts of Haryana, which was hit by Jat quota stir after it turned violent even as security personnel staged flag marches in affected areas.

Despite various political leaders including Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar appealing protesting Jats to maintain calm and peace, the incidents of violence and arson continued during the night in various parts of the state, crippling the normal life in worst affected places like Rohtak, Jind, Bhiwani, Jhajjar, Sonipat, Hisar.

Protesters last night set on fire an ATM of a bank and burnt official records of a cooperative bank in Loharu of Bhiwani district.

As violence and arson spread to several parts of Haryana state, the Haryana government has sought additional companies of Central Reserve Police Force and more columns of Army to be deployed in the state to control the ongoing agitation in the state.

As many as 15 companies of India Reserve Battalion and Haryana Armed Police, three companies of paramilitary forces and two columns of Army have already been deployed.

So far six persons have been killed in firing by security personnel to quell arson and firing" by the protesters while 154 First Information Reports have been registered.

As Haryana remained on the boil, curfew had been clamped in Rohtak, Bhiwani , Jhajjar, Jind, Hisar, Hansi, Sonipat , Gohana towns of Sonipat district.

The road and rail traffic through Haryana and destined to neighboring states, including Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Chandigarh remained disrupted with authorities cancelling bus and train services on most routes in the wake of continuing blockade.

The Jat stir has severely hit the movement of more than 800 trains, and seven stations including in the state were set on fire by the agitators.

Jhajjar, Buddha Khera, Julana and Pillu Kheda were among the seven stations which were set afire.
The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India suspended operations at its two plants in Gurgaon and Manesar as component supplies have been hit by the agitation of Jats demanding job reservation.

Appealing to protesters to end their stir, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar yesterday asked agitators to "return to their homes as the Government has accepted their demands", but did not elaborate.

But several Jat leaders refused to call off the pro-quota agitation unless the government promulgated an ordinance to include the community in the OBC category.